Travelers to Vietnam tour up over 15 percent in nine months

4.3 million international travelers to Vietnam tour in the first nine months of this year, surging 15.5 percent against the same time of last year, according to the General Statistics Office.

Of the total, those travelling for tourism rose by 11 percent to 2.6 million while those for business dropped by 5 percent to 720,000.

During the period, almost all foreign sources of Vietnam tourism saw year-on-year increases. Visitors from China rose 45 percent, South Korea by 4 percent and Japan by 8.2 percent. Other sources such as Taiwan, the US and France also saw positive growths.

Surveys from the Vietnam Administration of Tourism showed that foreign visitors stayed in Vietnam for an average of nine days per visitor and they spent about $72.5 a day.

Tourism experienced the highest growth when compared to other services in recent years after transport, finance, insurance and telecommunications.